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SEO agency retainer or a fixed-price plan: what does a small business need?
A retainer buys a large team. Most small businesses need a site that gets found and a steady flow of quote requests.
Side by side
Does a small business need an SEO agency retainer?
A full-service agency retainer makes sense when you need a large team: paid ads, PR, several locations or custom software. A small business that needs a website that gets found and a steady flow of quote requests usually needs less. An Ahrefs survey of 439 SEO providers found agencies charge $3,209 a month on average. Dizayn’s Complete plan is $450 a month, month to month.
| Typical agency retainer | Dizayn | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $3,209 on average (Ahrefs survey of 439 providers) | $450 (Complete plan) or $99 (Basic plan) |
| Website | Usually quoted separately | $540 or $1,200 one time |
| Price list | Often by proposal, after a call | Published. You can buy online without a call |
| Scope | SEO, ads, social media, PR, analytics | Website, local SEO and AI search |
| Who you talk to | An account manager | The people doing the work |
| Monthly report | Varies by agency | Count of quote requests, by source |
| Guarantee | Ask. Many don’t offer one | If your quote requests don't go up in 90 days, the next month is free. |
When is an agency retainer the better choice?
- You have several locations or sell nationwide.
- You need paid ads, PR and SEO managed together.
- You have an in-house marketing team that needs strategy support.
- Your budget covers a dedicated team every month.
What should you ask an agency before you sign?
- What is included in the monthly price, and what is billed extra?
- Is the website included or quoted separately?
- What is the minimum term?
- Will the report show quote requests, or only traffic?
FAQ
Questions about agency pricing
Why does Dizayn cost less than an agency?
The scope is narrower. Dizayn does three things (web design, SEO and AI search), with a small team and fixed packages, and does not manage paid ads or social media. You pay for that work only.
What does the Complete plan include?
The Complete plan costs $450 a month and is for sites built by Dizayn. It includes 4 new articles a month, ongoing improvements and a monthly report of quote requests. If your quote requests don't go up in 90 days, the next month is free.
How much does SEO cost for a small business?
In the Ahrefs survey, agencies average $3,209 a month. Dizayn’s plans cost $99 or $450 a month. See the full cost breakdown.
More comparisons: Website builder vs. done for you · Marketing contract vs. owning your site · Pricing
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Sites cost $540 or $1,200 in total, paid in 3 parts. See what each one includes.
Free website analysis · normally $750
Get your website analyzed. Free, instead of $750.
Send your URL. Within 2 business days you get a written report: how Google, Maps and AI assistants see your site, how you compare with your top two local competitors, and the five fixes we’d make first. Yours to keep, whether you hire us or not.
Written report in 2 business days. Yours to keep.
- Google score out of 110: technical SEO, Maps and structured data
normally $300 - Side-by-side with your top 2 local competitors
normally $150 - AI check: do ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity name you?
normally $150 - Speed test on a real phone
normally $75 - Why visitors leave without asking for a quote
normally $75 - Your 5 fixes, ranked by impactincluded
- Total value
$750Free
Monthly plans: If your quote requests don't go up in 90 days, the next month is free.
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